If you are an avid reader of blogs then I'm sure you know Kari and Kijsa. They are in need of your prayers today and in the coming days as their father passed away this morning. You can read and send messages to their brother's blog HERE.
This brings back memories of my father's death at the age of 53. All I can say about my father's passing was that I was blessed to be with him when he died. I had the opportunity to spend more time with him in his final days than I had in the previous 15 years. It was a GIFT.
As the oldest daughter I took on the responsibilities of bringing him into my home with help from HOSPICE. He was given 3 months to live when he was diagnosed with psorosis and lung cancer. This is the only prayer I prayed for him. God, If it is your will to make him healthy please do so, If that is not your will then please don't make him suffer any longer. He died 3 days after we brought him home.
There is a stage of dying where people withdraw into themselves. There is also this need to have said goodbyes, my youngest sister, Mandy, never came to see him, he had withdrawn into himself, I was kneeling by his chair telling him that I loved him and IT was okay. Lots of sweet nothings. The only response I got from him was when I lied, yes I lied. He was suffering and I wanted him to have some comfort. I asked if he had seen Mandy (youngest sister) earlier. He came to life with that question and looked at me, I repeated the question stating that she had been there earlier. His response was something like "No baby , was she here?" Yes Dad she was here. I think it comforts Mandy too to know that at least he thought she had been there. Later that night Tom and I were with him and though it was not a peaceful passing, he was not alone. Not alone like it could have been, not without me, whether he liked it or not, I was there. I can ONLY think of it as a GIFT, given to me by a kind and loving GOD. I give thanks daily for that gift.
I really didn't mean for this to become about me and my father. Just that we should all notice the gifts that we are given. I'm sure Kari and Kijsa know how blessed they are to have had such a wonderful father in their lives.
4 comments:
That truly is a gift that God shared with you, I only wish that I could have been there when my mother passed. Even though it was a sad thing, you are a lucky lady!
Never easy to lose a loved one. Your words are sweet and so sad to hear about Kari & Kijsa's Father and your Dad too.
I just read the story of your father's passing and it touched my heart. It also brought back a lot of memories because it was a lot like the situation with me and my father. My father passed away in March 2005. He and my mother got back together after 26 years of being divorced. When they were divorced, I hardly ever saw him or had a relationship with him. Not too long after they got back together, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away 3 months after the diagnoses. Because he had hospice and because he was with my mother, I was able to be with him through a lot of his illness and up until the actual time of his passing. I spent more time with him and felt more love from him in the time of his illness than I had in any of the twenty-something years before that. I believe it was a gift from God that he and my mother got back together so I could be with him through his worst time and develop a great bond with him.
May God bless you and thanks for sharing your story.
-Terra
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thank you for your prayers and support in this tough time.
My dad was a rock to our whole family
Psalm 62:1-2
Post a Comment